Almost Half of Top City Officials Say Drug Problem Worsening

March 1995

According to a recent survey of the nation's top officials, almost half
say the problem of drugs in America's cities is worsening (National League
of Cities, The State of America's Cities: The Eleventh Annual Opinion
Survey of Municipal Elected Officals, Jan. 1995).

The survey, conducted by the National League of Cities (NLC), finds that
48.8% of the 382 mayors, city councilmembers, and other elected officials
polled reported that the problem of drugs is worsening in their cities.

When asked to name the problems that are worsening in their cities, the
highest reported problem was unfunded mandates (74.2% reporting that that
situation had worsened in 1994), followed by youth crime (63.4%), school
violence (52.0%), gangs (51.3%), cable TV rates and service (49.4%), and
drugs (48.8%).

As for factors that were improving in their commuities, officials said
that police/community relations had been improving more frequently than
any other factor (54.6%).

When asked for the measures that would reduce crime, more city officials
answered bolstering family strength (63.6%) more frequently than any other
factor. Only 14.9% said that increasing funding of drug treatment would
reduce crime.

Public Safety Measures That Are Most Likely to Reduce Crime

Strengthening and supporting family stability

63.6%

Jobs and targeted economic development

48.4%

More police officers

39.8%

After-school programs

33.0%

Neighborhood Watch programs

33.0%

More police foot patrols

32.2%

School-to-Work programs

31.2%

More recreational programs

30.4%

Early childhood programs (e.g. Head Start)

29.8%

Reintroducing punishment into schools

18.1%

Mandatory sentencing

17.8%

Conflict resolution programs

17.0%

Court/bail reform

16.8%

Funding of drug treatment

14.9%

Boot Camps

13.1%

Citizens reporting crime

12.0%

Gun control

11.8%

Elimination of parole

9.9%

Building more prisons

8.4%

More death penalties

8.1%

Source: National League of Cities, The
State of America's Cities, Jan. 1995, p. 14.

The sample of 382 elected officials was taken randomly from the database
of NLC members. The survey is conducted annually, with surveys mailed in
October. The 1994 poll is the eleventh annual survey for NLC.

[To obtain a copy of this report, contact the National League of Cities,
1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20004, 202-626-3158.]